Improvement in elastic cushions for horses  feet



.JOHN HAsELrINE, oElMELEosE, 'AND CHARLES L. WHEELER, 0E GAMEEIDGE, MassAcnUsEfr'rasaIn nAsEL'rINE assidus Hrs `HALE To SAIDWEEELER. Y

`. Letters Patent No. 95,107, dated September 21, 1869.

IMPRQVEMENT 11s ELASTIC cUsHIciNs Eon HORSES FEET.

The Schedule referred to n these Letters Patent and making part-of the sama.

To all whom 1t/may concern.-`

Be it known that we,'JoHNvHAsELr1NE, of Melrose, and CH'ARLEs L.v WHEELER, of Cambridge, both in thecounty of Middlesex, and` State of Massachusetts,

l have invented certaiunew and useful Improvements in Elastic Cushions for Horseshoes, or for Horses7 Feet ot'which `the following isa full, clear, and exact description, `reference being had to .the accompanying draw- `ings, making part ot" this specification, Vin Which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top..view; Figure 2, a horizontal section; Figur-e3, an edge View; and i y `l `Figure 4, a vertical sectional elevation, on the curved f red line A B of iig. 1.

This invention and improvement consists, rst, in the combinatiom with an elastic or iex'ible'rubber cushion, constructed, as shown and described, oi'. a metal spring, E, when the said spripg is applied toy the cushion, by embeddingthe former in the substance of the latter whilein a plasticstate, and when formedin the mould,

and by vulcanizing the -rubber thus formed or moulded 1 "around the spring, the said vulcanized rubbercushion being made inthe form clearly shown in the drawings, so as to fill the cavity between theshoe and the frog, and not to cover thelatter, but `preferably to leave it exposed to the atmosphere, so as to keep it ina healthy condition, and to prevent the accumulation and retention of snow, mud, or othersubstances, Iwhich injuriously affect the foot .and theffrog. This spring, thus embedded inthe rubber which is vulcanized all around it, is not only protected from the action ofr corrosive agents, but `it is perfectlyY cushioned by the `'yielding rubber, and a spring thus` protected and cushioned cannotbe easily broken, or injured, or materially weakened by continued use, for the elastic and yielding substance within and beyond the` bow ofthe splin g adheres lto and otherwise almostlprevents the `possibility of` a change in the curveot the latter; and if the curve is not changed, the spring cannot be easilybroken while the rubber endures. y

. If, bychance, the spring should break at or about the centre of the fbow orjforw'ard part, thev cushion may still'be successfully used, for the adhesive and cushioning action of the rubber so assists thespring as to render it operative, even though broken at the` bow or considerablyweakened;

` A spring thus enclosed in-tbe cushion cannot hurt -or injure the foot of the horse, nor become detached by therotting of stitchingthreadas in the patent to A. H. Knapp, where Vthehard metal spring, merely covered with leather, bears against the`under side of the foot and the softer substance of the heel, and will hurt the' heels, and make `them tender and sore, and stitching-thread willI soon rot and liberate the p spring; `whereas in our invention the spring is in the `middle of the cushion, andshorter'than thei latter,

and only the soft rubber comes in ycontact with the ,l Second, our invention consists in the combination,

with an elastic cushion, constructed and provided with a spring, as described, of catches g, which are applied 4 to the vulcanized rubber` cushion when the same is formed in the mould, thus forming rubber rivets c through holes made in the catches. The rubber being vulcan-ized during the process -fastens the catches to the cushions in a very permanent manner.

The springE is'. also applied or embedded in the. substance of the cushion when it is forinedfin the mould, and the process of vnlcanizing the rubber completesthe operation of combining the spring with the cushion, the (spring having been previously bent or shaped to conform with the shape or form of the cushion, as shown in iig. 2; l

This improved elastic cushion is intended to be applied to the feet of the horse when travelling in or upon snow,and the object 4of itis to prevent the feet of the animal getting balled up, or, in other words, to

jprevent the snow lodging or collecting in the under cavity of the foot, within the shoe, vand around the frog. u

lThis invention is intended as an improvement on the patent of the above-named JOHN HASELTINE,

dated `May 19, 1868, wherein the elastic cushion is secured in the place by wires or strips looped to the cushion, and passing between the hoot' and the shoe, and bent up or clinched on the outside ofthe former. These looped wires are anple to hold the cushion in its place, but the application and removal of the elastic cushion by means of thesewires are of necessity at timesdiiiicnlt and troublesome, or at leastinconvenient, as the slots or openings made for the passage of the wires are liable to get iilled with dirt, and the frequent bending of th'e wires so injures them that they have to'be frequently or occasionally renewed, andthe common elasticcushion will not stay in its place unless held by the wires before named. v

This invention obviates the above -named difficulties, and provides a ready remedy. This elastic cushion is applied to the foot of the horse, where a slight or limited space is left between theinner portion ot' shoe and the hoof, byy iirs't inserting the forward catch and. one

ered or embedded in the rubber, willalways remain in l. tiene Y, (sam geen am the same position, and fully protected from wear, injury, o" exposure, either of which would soon spoil the spring; besides, the spring thus embedded in the rubber, and there vulcanized, cannot seemingly injure the foot of the animal or cause pain when travelling.

This elastic cushion is readily removed from the foot by springing one of the sides or prongs B in toward the other, and near enough to allow the catch to be withdrawn from the space. Then, by pulling the said prong downward or clear of the shoe, the opposite catch and the forward catch may be easily liberated and the cushion taken from the foot. The side catches or the forward one may be butted against the spring, as seen at g2, in iig. 2, but We consider 7it better to make such catches longer, and lap them over the spring, as seen at' g1, in the same figure.

The rubber rivets c, formed through the holes in the catches in the process of moulding and vulcanizng the cushion, make a permanent connection of the the elastic cushion made as herein described answersl admirably the purpose for which it is intended.

We claim as follows:

1. The combination, with au elastic or flexible rub ber cushion, constructed substantially in the form as shown and described, of a metal spring, E, when the said spring is applied to the cushion in the manner, by the means, and for the purpose speciiied.

2. \'lhe combina-tion, with an elastic or flexible rubber cushion, formed, constructed, and provided with a spring, as described, of catches g, when said catches are applied to the cushion in the manner, by the means, and for the purpose specied.

JOHN HASELTINE. OHAS. L.A WHEELER Witnesses:

J onsT E. Gaume, WM. S. BROWN. 

